Kent · England
Tapas Catering for Upper Hardres events
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Upper Hardres and the surrounding area.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Anniversary parties
- Tapas starters
Planning an event in Upper Hardres?
How our tapas catering works in Upper Hardres
Tapas pair naturally with a live paella, as a starter while the rice cooks, but they work on their own too. On the menu are croquetas, gambas al ajillo and padrón peppers, and we are regularly asked to cater evening grazing and receptions and drinks parties.
For a country party near Upper Hardres, tapas and sangria set the mood. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
Questions from Upper Hardres
Can you cook at venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Which station should guests use for Upper Hardres?
Bekesbourne station, about 3.9 miles north-east of the centre.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
How much paella per person?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Can you cook in the rain?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will make a plan B with you.
Why choose tapas catering in Upper Hardres?
They’re the classic starter before paella.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Upper Hardres and Kent:
- Engagement parties
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Birthday and anniversary parties
Historic buildings near Upper Hardres frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue.
What your quote should include
- The deposit and payment dates
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Whether travel is included
- Exactly what’s included in the price
Nearby places to Upper Hardres
Also in Upper Hardres
How we price tapas catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Guest numbers
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The courses you’d like
- The address or venue name
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
How it works
Service is quick: we serve straight from the pan, so large groups are fed quickly. When service is finished, we pack down. A summer drinks reception in Upper Hardres has daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it is dark around 7:00pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- We check your date.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
The menu, dish by dish
Tortilla española
A vegetarian favourite.
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Planning the cooking area
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- Unloading access
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Olives & bread
- Gambas al ajillo
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Tortilla española
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
Diets, allergies and planning
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Collect dietary needs
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Sangria and bar staff.
Upper Hardres: venues and local tips
Upper Hardres is about 4 miles south of Canterbury, in Kent. Anywhere in CT4, we can bring the pans to you. We cover all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Peter and St Paul, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Guests travelling by rail: Bekesbourne station is about 3.9 miles away. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Upper Hardres, ideal for an outdoor reception.
We cook at events all over CT4. Your event could be at a home on Broxhall Road and Hardres Court Road. For events just outside Upper Hardres, we cover Lynsore Bottom (1 mile south-east), Pett Bottom (1 mile north-east), Lower Hardres (1 mile north), Petham (2 miles west) and Street End (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (11 miles south-west), Canterbury (4 miles north), Dover (11 miles south-east), Folkestone (10 miles south), Whitstable (10 miles north) and Deal (13 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Canterbury Castle (4.1 miles north) and Kent and Canterbury Hospital (3.5 miles north).
- Local pubs include The Duck pub (0.9 miles north-east)
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff